Metal forming machine



June 8, 1948. w. J. OGDEN METAL FORMING MACHINE.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 12, 1945 INVENTOR. MZZz'am @167 June8 1948a v 2,442,859

METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

June 8, 1 94s. w, OGDE 2,442,859

METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTORQ Z1 WZZZZ'QmCZQya en June 8, 1948. w. J. OGDEN 2,442,859

METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1945 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 41 mVENTOR. Qt Wz'ZZz'amcfQyan 65 a Fatented June 8, 19 48 METAL FORMING MACHINE William J. Ogden, Shortsville, N. Y... assign'or to Papee Machine Company, Shortsville, N. Y.,, a corporation of New York Application April 12, 1945, Serial No. 587,883

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to metal forming machines and, more particularly, to rod bending machines, such as employed to form the eye portion of eye pins, bolts, hooks and the like, one object of the invention being to provide amore simple, practical and eificient machine orthe character described.

Another object is to provide an improved machine of the above character capable of more accurately bending rods of substantial diameter Without preliminary heating.

Another object is to provide a more automatic machine of the above type adapted for rapid production with a minimum of labor and-expense.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation ofamachine, partly broken away, embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of lower portions of the same, partly in section;

Fig. 3 shows a Work guiding part detached;-

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the dies closed on the work;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of portions of the machine on the line Err-5a in Fig. 4';

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the successive operations of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation substantially on the line la-la in Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a similar view on' the line 8'a=-8a in Fig. 2, but showing the dies closed on thew'ork;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation as viewed fromthe left in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 10 isa sectional elevation on the line lilal3a in Fig. 1.

The invention is embodied in the present instance in a fixture for use with a die press of usual construction. but maybe embodied directly in a die press itself, and provides a machine for bending metal rod stock of substantial, say, onehalf inch diameter, to form an eye pin' or finger shown in Figs. 6 and 8', for use as part of a feeding drum of a silage handling machine.

The present fixture comprises a frame; base portions of which, indicated generally at |'5- Figs. l and 2'), are adapted'for attachment to the'b'ecl of a press and carry the'lower die-eIementshere after described. Dowel guides l6- guide an upper head ll carrying an upper die element;- a shear plate and other parts, being reciprocat'ed vertically by a shank Ila connected by anysuitabl'e means (not shown) with the ram of the press.

Rising from the" of the base portion- [5 is a post I'll (Figs-,- 9' and 10); inwhich is fixed a stationary; horizontal mandrel #9 having at its forward end acylindrical portion". 28 projecting forwardly from the post I 8 and serving as one of the relatively movable dieelements' or members hereafter described. The rod 24 is. first. bent reversely,- or intoa U shape,- around the: mandrel 26,- by means of upper die. element orplate 22 fixed. in the head: as by screwsv 2-3. and; reciprocated vertically close to the' front face of ost. l8. This die elementhasza substantially semi-circular forming surface 24 fdr bending the? rod aboutthe mandrel 20-, the curvedzsurface 2dhaving-a diameter approximating. the outer diameter of the eye tobe formed in therod. The rod may be presented for such bending after being precut' to. fm'a'l' length, but. the machine preferably comprisesshearing means for cutting: th'ezrod to' suchlength from abar of stock, to facilitate" feeding: and increasethe' rate of production. For this, purpose, the base portion. of the machine has a. post 25 having its top formed with a: channel 26: along which a bar of stock may he slid longitudinally to present itsend to the shearing means. and between the mandrel and the die. An arm? 2212;. depending from-theupper die 22', serves as a gauge or stop' for locating the rod in the machine. The inner side of thetop of the post has fixed thereto, as-by meansofa bolt 27-;- a. square-shaped" shear plate 28 having one'of its cutting recesses alinedlwith channel 26 inthe post, A similar. upper shear plate 29 is fixed to the adjacent end ofthe head H,- for cutting cooperation with the lower: shear. plate 28, to cut off a. length of rod in. the descent of. the head. These parts are so arranged that the length of rod issheared from the stock bar-as the" upper die engages the; rod; to freev the rod for downward-ben'dingby the die. a

The; operations. so" far described-1 are schematically'illustr'ated Fig. 6; wherea length of rod 2 I is shown presented above 'theimandrel 29; then bent downwardlyby'the upper die 22 around the mandrelninto U shape; readyfor. further bending to complete; the? eye shapec. by a? second: set of dies now toberdescribed.

The second seir'oi: diesforcompletingrtheeye shape comprises; preferably, a; pair of members or plates 30 and 3|. These plates have theiri'bot tom edges slida'bly supported on ways 32 sea 33 (Figs: it and 9)i fixed: on: a horizontal surface 3'4 of theibasezof theeframe in rear of an upright wall 315; which further guides'=the-members st and 3i and to which they are slidingly attached by means of bolts 35 fixed in the die members so as to project forwardly through slots 31 in the wall 35 with washers under their heads abutting the front face of the wall, as shown. A coiled tension spring 38 is fixed to each bolt and to a screw 35 On the wall and serves to normally maintain the die member in its outward or open position.

The die members 36 and 3t have circular forming surfaces 40 and M for engaging the sides of the U-shaped end formed on the rod by the first set of dies and continuing the bending thereof to complete the eye or ring, as shown diagrammati cally in Fig. 6. These forming surfaces are recessed at 42 and 43 for a clearance purpose hereafter described. The members 30 and 3| are moved inwardly to form the rod by actuating connections with the upper die 22 or the head which carries it, such connections comprising depending wings 44 and 45 on the head (Figs. 1 and 9), having inclined opposing faces 46 and M, preferably surfaced by hardened wear strips 38 and 4-9 for engagement with correspondingly inclined outer edges 53 and on the die members Bil and 3!. It is evident from this construction that as the first set of dies, comprising the mandrel 2E] and the upper die 22, are closed in a vertical direction, the second set of dies, comprising the mandrel and the members 30 and 3|, are simultaneously closed in a horizontal direction to complete the forming of the eye in the end of the rod. For this purpose, a feeding means is provided for feeding a. partially bent rod from the first to the second set of dies and for discharging a completed rod from the second set of dies, during each opening movement of the dies, as will now be described.

The means for feeding the rod from one set of dies to the other comprises, preferably, a series of rod fingers 52 (Figs. 9 and sliding longitudinally in openings bored through the post 18 in spaced relation about the mandrel. The rear ends of the rod fingers are fixed in a plate 53 sliding on a pair of pins 54 fixed in the mandrel and having heads 55 for limiting the outward movement of the plate under the action of compression springs 56 coiled about the fingers 52 in recesses in the post l8, as shown. Plate 53 carries an inclined cam surface 51 for cooperation with a dog 58 pivoted at 59 on a bracket 60 fixed on the ram. A spring Bitends to hold the opposite end or tail of the dog against a stop plate 52 on the bracket, which may serve also as a shear plate to yield and protect the feeding means in case of positive obstruction. During the descent of the head from the position shown in Fig. 9 to initially engage and bend a length of rod fed into the machine, the dog 58 yields upwardly without actuating the feeding means, but on the return or upward stroke of the head, as shown in Fig. 10, the dog cams the plate 53 forwardly to advance the fingers 52 and feed or slide the partially bent rod along the mandrel to position for operation thereon by the second set of dies during the subsequent downward stroke of the head. At the same time, the previously completed rod is pushed off the end of the mandrel, as shown in Fig. 1, and discharged or dropped from the machine through an opening 63 in the base of the frame.

Means are provided for continuously engaging and guiding the rod in position for operation thereon by both sets of dies and while being fed from one set to the other, comprising, preferably,

an arm 64 (Figs. 1, 3 and 9) sliding on the surface as of the base of the frame between the front of the mandrel post [8 and the slideway 32 of die member 35. The arm is formed with an elongated slot 65 embracing a stud bolt 66 in the frame for limiting the sliding movement of the arm. A coiled tension spring 61 is connected to the bolt and to a finger B8 on the arm for yieldably sliding the arm inwardly. The inner end of the arm is formed with a transversely turned guiding foot 59, positioned to engage the shank of the rod to hold it in vertical position, while being fed along the mandrel to position for engagement and final bending by the second set of dies. During the bending in the second set of dies, the guide arm yields as shown in Fig. 4, but is released upon discharge of a finished rod, for return by its spring to position for engaging and guiding the succeeding length of rod as described.

The rod positioning and guiding means comprises also a device for accurately locating a length of rod longitudinally of the mandrel as it is fed to position for operation th'ereon by the second set of dies, such means comprising, preferably, a pair of spaced parallel arms 70 and H (Figs. 2 and 5) pivoted at their outer ends on a horizontal bracket 12 on the outer face of the front wall 35 of the base. These arms are drawn toward each other by a coiled tension sprin '13 against stop pins M. The inner ends of the arms are formed with recesses 15 curved to fit the rod, the arms being slightly beveled at the inner ends of the recesses so that, as the rod is advanced by the feeding means, it spreads the arms and drops into the recesses 75 thereof by which the rod is accurately located lengthwise of the mandrel in position for cooperation with the horizontally moving dies 30 and 3|, the latter being formed with the recesses 43 described above so as to clear the arms 10 and H in the closed position of 'the dies, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8.

In operation, the head being raised, a stock length of the rod material is slid along the channel 26 in the top of post 25 between the shear plates 28 and 29, and over the mandrel 20 into engagement with the stop 22a. As the head descends, a length of rod is sheared off and engaged between the mandrel and the upper die 22 which bends the rod around the mandrel into U shape as shown. As the head rises again, the feeding means slides the partially bent rod along the mandrel under guiding engagement by the foot 69 of the guide arm until the rod is snapped into the recesses of the guide arms 10 and H which positions it longitudinally of the mandre1 for cooperation with the horizontally moving dies 30 and 3|, As the head again descends to repeat the operation so far described, the dies 30 and 3| are closed to continue the bending of the rod around the mandre1 to complete its eye shape. As the head again rises and another length of rod is fed along the mandre1 as described, the completed rod is pushed off the end of the mandrel and discharged from the machine. The machine is preferably driven continuously during such operation, although it may be operated intermittently if so desired.

The described construction accomplishes the cutting off and bending of a rod of substantial diameter in a cold state in two operations, automatically and rapidly and so as to require merely the labor of feedin the stock into the machine. After severing from the stock, the lengths of rod are continuously and precisely fed and guided, from one set of dies to the other, and discharged in. completem state; Nointe'rruption of: the I operation; of. the machine is required for feeding in, positioning, removing, or otherwise: handling: the workv and; the-machine'affords a rapidira-te ofproduction with marked economy'of timeand labor.

Theinvention thusaccomplishesitsobjects and while it has been herein disclosed by reference tothe details of a preferred embodiment, itis to be understood that such disclosureis. intended in an. illustrative, rather than a. limiting: sense, as it is contemplated that various modifications of the construction andarrangement of the parts will readily occur tozt'hose skilled in the art, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rod bending machine comprising a set of relatively movable dies for bending a length of rod to partially form the same, a second set, of relatively movable dies for performing a second bending operation on said rod, said setsof dies having adie element in common, actuating means for operating said sets of diessimultaneously for operatin s-imultaneously one, plurality of lengths of rod, and means for feedin a length of rod along said common die element from one of'said sets of dies to the other thereof for successive operations thereon.

2. A metal forming machine comprising, a set of relatively movable diesfor bending awork piece to partially form the same, a second set of relatively movable dies for continuing the bending of the work piece, said sets of dies having a die element in common, actuating means for closing said sets of dies simultaneously, and means for sliding said work piece along said common die element from one of said sets of dies to the other thereof for successive operations thereon.

3. A metal forming machine comprising a set of relatively movable dies for bending a Work piece to partially form the: same, a second set of relatively movable dies for continuing the bending of the work piece, said sets of dies having a stationary die element in common, actuating means for operatin said sets of dies in timed relation with each other, and means for sliding said work piece along said common die element from one of said sets of dies to the other thereof for successive operations thereon.

4. A metal forming machine comprising a set of relatively movable dies for bending a work piece to partially form the same, a second set of relatively movable dies for continuing the bending of the work piece, said sets of dies having a stationary die element in common, actuating means for said sets of dies for closing the same simultaneously, and means for feeding said Work piece from one of said sets of dies to the other thereof for successive operations thereon.

5. A metal forming machine comprising a set of relatively movable dies for bending a work piece to partially form the same, a second set of relatively movable dies for continuing the bending of the work piece, said sets of dies having a stationary die element in common, actuating connections between said sets of dies for opening and closing the same simultaneously, and means for feeding said work piece along said common die element from one of said sets of dies to the other thereof for successive operations thereon.

6. A metal forming machine comprising shear plates. a set of dies movable relatively to one another in one direction for bending a work piece to partially form the same, a second set of dies movable relatively; to" one another in: a direction transverse to-the direction" of movement; of said first set of dies for continuing: the; bending of. the Work piece, actuating means for" opening. and closing said shear plates and said sets: of dies simultaneously; and means for feeding said work piece fromone of said sets of dies to the. other thereof for successiveoperationsthereon.

7. A rod bending machine comprising a. stationary mandrel, a' die element movable toward and from said' mandrel. for partially bending a rod,v a pair ofdie membersmova'ble toward and from said: mandrel for continuing the bending of said rod actuating. means for operating said dieelement and'members in timed relation". with each:ot'her,. and meansfor feeding. said rod along said mandrel from said die element. to said. die members for successive operations. thereon.

8. A rod bending machinecomprising, a sta tionary' mandrel, a die element movable in: one direction toward and: from: said mandrel for partially bending a rod; a pair of die members movable in opposite directions, respectively, toward and from said mandrel, transversely to the di' rection' of movement of said die element, for subsequently completing the bending of said' rod, actuating meansifor moving saiddieelement and said pair of'di'e-members in timed relation with each other. for operating simultaneously ona plurality'of: rods,.and means forfeeding arod'from said die element to said die members for successive operations thereon.

9. A rod bending machine comprising a stationary mandrel, a die element movable in one direction toward and from said mandrel for partially bending a rod, means for moving said element, a pair of die members movable in opposite directions, respectively, toward and from said mandrel, transversely to the direction of movement of said die element, for continuing the bending of said rod, cam means connecting said die element with said pair of die members for moving said members during the movement of said element for operating simultaneously on a plurality of rods, and means for feeding a rod from said die element to said die members for successive operations thereon.

10. A rod bending machine comprising a frame, a set of relatively movable forming dies on said frame, positioning means on said frame comprising a gauge for presenting rod stock to said dies, means spaced from said dies for shearing a length of rod from said stock while positioned between said forming dies, a second set of relatively movable dies on said frame for continuing the bending of said length of rod to complete the forming thereof, means for actuating said shearing means and said sets of dies in timed relation with each other for bending a plurality of rods simultaneously, and means for feeding a rod from one of said sets of dies to the other thereof for successive operations thereon.

11. A rod bending machine comprising a frame, a set of relatively movable forming dies on said frame, positioning means on said frame comprising a gauge for presenting rod stock to said dies, cooperating shear plates spaced from said dies and connected with a movable one of said dies and with said frame, respectively, for shearing a length of rod from said stock while positioned between said forming dies, a second set of relatively movable dies for continuing the bending of said rod, means for actuating said shear plates and said sets of dies in timed relation with each other for simultaneously bending a plurality of rods, and means for feeding a rod from one of said sets of dies to the other thereof for successive operations thereon.

12. A rod bending machine comprising a frame, a set of relatively movable forming dies on said frame, positioning means comprising a gauge on said frame for presenting a length of rod stock to said dies, shear plates actuated by a movable one of said dies for shearing a length of rod from said stock for bending in said set of dies to partially form the same, a second set of relatively movable dies on said frame for continuing the bending of said rod, said sets of dies having a stationary die element in common, actuating means for actuating said shear plates and said sets of dies in timed relation to each other for simultaneously bending a plurality of rods, and means for feeding a rod along said common die element from one of said sets of dies to the other thereof for successive operations thereon.

13. A rod bending machine comprising a frame, a stationary mandrel on said frame, a die element movable in one direction on said frame toward and from said mandrel, positioning means comprising a gauge on said frame for presenting a length of rod stock to said mandrel, means for shearing a length of rod from said stock for bending by said die element on said mandrel to partially form the same, a pair of die members movable in opposite directions on said frame toward and from said mandrel, trans- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 261,977 Adt Aug. 1, 1882 270,362 Alpress Jan. 9, 1883 711,631 Irvin Oct. 21, 1902 1,517,693 Arnt et a1 Dec. 2, 1924 2,158,176 Dewey May 16, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 254,504 Great Britain July 8, 1926 325,683 Great Britain Feb. 9, 1929 

